Selfish Jean was written by Fran Healy between 2005 and 2006, most likely in his apartment in New York, and was demoed using Healy’s own computer. He sampled the drum intro from the Iggy Pop song Lust For Life, looped it to create a basic rhythm, and then played the song and recorded vocals over the top of the rhythm track. The demo was then taken to Travis drummer Neil Primrose as an example of what to play, and thus, the song exists in its current form.

I’m standing on the bridge
I’m waiting in the dark
I thought that you’d be here by now
There’s nothing but the rain
No footsteps on the ground
I’m listening but there’s no sound

Isn’t anyone tryin’ to find me?
Won’t somebody come take me home?

It’s a damn cold night
Trying to figure out this life
Won’t you take me by the hand
Take me somewhere new
I don’t know who you are
But I… I’m with you
I’m with you

(Mmm..)

I’m looking for a place
I’m searching for a face
Is anybody here I know?
‘Cause nothing’s going right
And everything’s a mess
And no one likes to be alone

Isn’t anyone tryin’ to find me?
Won’t somebody come take me home?

It’s a damn cold night
Trying to figure out this life
Won’t you take me by the hand
Take me somewhere new
I don’t know who you are
But I… I’m with you
I’m with you

Oh!

Why is everything so confusing?
Maybe I’m just out of my mind
Yeahe yeahe yeah!..yeahe yeah, yeahe yeah, yeah yeah, YYYEEEAAAHHH!!…(softly)
It’s a damn cold night
Trying to figure out this life
Won’t you take me by the hand
Take me somewhere new
I don’t know who you are
But I!
(loudly)
I’m with yououououou!
I’m with yououououou!

Take me by the hand
Take me somewhere new
I don’t know who you are
But I!

I’m with yououououou!
I’m with yououououou!

Take me by the hand
Take me somewhere new
I don’t know who you are
But I
(softly)
I’m with youoo
I’m with youoo
I’m wi…th.. you

Lets talk this over,
It’s not like we’re dead.
Was it something I did?
Was it something you said?

Don’t leave me hanging…
In a city so dead.
Held up so high
On such a breakable thread.

You were all the things I thought I knew…
And I thought we could be.

You were everything, everything,
that I wanted.
We were meant to be, supposed to be,
But we lost it.
All of our memories so close to me
Just fade away…
All this time you were pretending…
So much for my happy ending.

Oh, oh…
oh, oh…
So much for my happy ending……
Oh, oh…
Oh, oh…

You’ve got your dumb friends,
I know what they say (know they say)…
They tell you I’m difficult,
But so are they (so are they)
But they don’t know me…
Do they even know you (even know you)?
All the things you hide from me…
All the shit that you do (all the shit that you do)

You were all the things I thought I knew…
And I thought we could be.

You were everything, everything,
That I wanted.
We were meant to be, supposed to be,
But we lost it.
All of our memories so close to me
Just fade away…
All this time you were pretending…
So much for my happy ending.

It’s nice to know that you were there,
Thanks for acting like you cared
And making me feel like I was the only one.
It’s nice to know we had it all.
Thanks for watching as I fall,
And letting me know we were done.

He was everything, everything,
That I wanted.
We were meant to be, supposed to be,
But we lost it.
All of our memories so close to me…
Just fade away.
All this time you were pretending…
So much for my happy ending.

You were everything, everything,
That I wanted…
We were meant to be, supposed to be,
But we lost it.
All of our memories so close to me
Just fade away…
All this time you were pretending…
So much for my happy ending.

You held my hand and walked me home I know
While you gave me that kiss it was something like this it made me go ooh ohh
You wiped my tears, got rid of all my fears, why did you have to go?
Guess it wasn’t enough to take up some of my love
Guys are so hard to trust
Did I not tell you that I’m not like that girl?
The one who gives it all away

[Chorus:]
Did you think that I was gonna give it up to you, this time?
Did you think that it was somethin I was gonna do and cry?
Don’t try to tell me what to do,
Dont try to tell me what to say,
Your better off that way

Don’t think that your charm and the fact that your arm is now around my neck
Will get you in my pants I’ll have to kick your ass and make you never forget
I’m gonna ask you to stop, thought I liked you a lot, but I’m really upset
Get out of my head get off of my bed yeah thats what I said
Did I not tell you that I’m not like that girl, the one who, throws it all away

[Chorus]
Did you think that I was gonna give it up to you, this time?
Did you think that it was somethin I was gonna do and cry?
Don’t try to tell me what to do,
Dont try to tell me what to say,
Your better off that way

This guilt trip that you put me on won’t, mess me up I’ve done no wrong
Any thoughts of you and me have gone away

[Chorus]
Did you think that I was gonna give it up to you, this time?
Did you think that it was somethin I was gonna do and cry?
Don’t try to tell me what to do,
Dont try to tell me what to say,
Your better off that way

You held my hand and walked me home I know
While you gave me that kiss it was something like this it made me go ooh ohh
You wiped my tears, got rid of all my fears, why did you have to go?
Guess it wasn’t enough to take up some of my love
Guys are so hard to trust
Did I not tell you that I’m not like that girl?
The one who gives it all away

[Chorus:]
Did you think that I was gonna give it up to you, this time?
Did you think that it was somethin I was gonna do and cry?
Don’t try to tell me what to do,
Dont try to tell me what to say,
Your better off that way

Don’t think that your charm and the fact that your arm is now around my neck
Will get you in my pants I’ll have to kick your ass and make you never forget
I’m gonna ask you to stop, thought I liked you a lot, but I’m really upset
Get out of my head get off of my bed yeah thats what I said
Did I not tell you that I’m not like that girl, the one who, throws it all away

[Chorus]
Did you think that I was gonna give it up to you, this time?
Did you think that it was somethin I was gonna do and cry?
Don’t try to tell me what to do,
Dont try to tell me what to say,
Your better off that way

This guilt trip that you put me on won’t, mess me up I’ve done no wrong
Any thoughts of you and me have gone away

[Chorus]
Did you think that I was gonna give it up to you, this time?
Did you think that it was somethin I was gonna do and cry?
Don’t try to tell me what to do,
Dont try to tell me what to say,
Your better off that way

My Mask I hide behind a mask You can’t see my face Looking at first glance I’m in a happy place The truth is, that’s a lie But you can’t really tell that in the back of my mind I think the world should rot in hell What’s the point of living If we are all going to die What’s the point of being happy If in [...]